File:Milky way.jpg

http://www.usbible.com/Astrology/pillar_of_cloud.htm

What is the Pillar of Cloud?

There is a memorable episode in the Charleton Heston movie, the "Ten Commandments", when the Israelites are crossing the Red Sea. A whirlwind appears at the entrance to the Red Sea crossing, temporally blocking Pharaoh and his army. After the Israelites were safely across, the whirlwind let Pharaoh's army pass and they were subsequently drowned.

Exodus describes this whirlwind as a "pillar of cloud" by day and a pillar of fire by night.

21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; 22the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. (Ex. 13:21-22)

This is one of those cases where words cannot substitute for a picture. Below (Figure 1) is that pillar. It is a picture of the Milky Way taken from Micarta Encyclopedia. There is your pillar of fire by night. In the pristine sky, 2,000 years ago, it could be seen as a pillar of cloud by day.